http://www.hsgconsultingllc.com/the-impact-of-measurement/ Just another WordPress weblog Fri, 30 May 2008 01:23:40 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 http://www.hsgconsultingllc.com/the-impact-of-measurement/comment-page-1/#comment-4 dunrie Fri, 30 May 2008 01:23:40 +0000 http://www.hsgconsultingllc.com/?p=67#comment-4 Yes, the being thoughtful and recording data/monitoring really heightens my consciousness about what I'm doing and how I'm doing it. Examples include recording time in the day on tasks, counting steps, keeping a food journal, any structured, regular attention helps. I think another interesting aspect of this is the influence of sharing on this attention. I'd argue that it is more than just recording your steps, but the act of sharing them on http://walkertracker.com spurred you to walk farther. Its the same with broadcasting project data by posting it in a visible place. There's something in the public accountability and the attention of others that "up the ante" for the mind. At work, we have a saying that there is an "over the shoulder effect" in making things work better. Someone struggling with a website/web form/software sometimes succeeds where they've failed when someone else comes to their aid. And the second person doesn't really have to do anything at all except be there. I think this is why I always know what email I should have sent after I hit "send". There's something that opens or changes the mind when another person is involved....even if the other person doesn't contribute anything verbal. Weird. I think this is part of the magic of pairing. Yes, the being thoughtful and recording data/monitoring really heightens my consciousness about what I’m doing and how I’m doing it. Examples include recording time in the day on tasks, counting steps, keeping a food journal, any structured, regular attention helps.
I think another interesting aspect of this is the influence of sharing on this attention. I’d argue that it is more than just recording your steps, but the act of sharing them on http://walkertracker.com spurred you to walk farther. Its the same with broadcasting project data by posting it in a visible place. There’s something in the public accountability and the attention of others that “up the ante” for the mind.
At work, we have a saying that there is an “over the shoulder effect” in making things work better. Someone struggling with a website/web form/software sometimes succeeds where they’ve failed when someone else comes to their aid. And the second person doesn’t really have to do anything at all except be there. I think this is why I always know what email I should have sent after I hit “send”. There’s something that opens or changes the mind when another person is involved….even if the other person doesn’t contribute anything verbal. Weird. I think this is part of the magic of pairing.

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